The McHenry Public Library

In 1892, Modesto had a small free library of 750 books maintained by the Rogers Ladies’ Library Society founded by Mrs. Caroline Rogers.  When Mrs. Rogers DeYoe died in 1904, the Society lost its home.  Ultimately, the City took the books, and they were stashed in the City Clerk’s office but maintained by the Library Society who promptly changed their name to the Modesto City Library Society.  In 1905, the Society moved the books (by then over 1100 books) to meager quarters shared with the Modesto Billiard Hall.

Early in 1906 the Modesto City Library Society merged with the new Woman’s Improvement Club because the members of both clubs were essentially the same women, and both clubs promoted an interest in a public library.  Members Myrtie McHenry, Ora Hatton, and Chloe Zander were appointed the W.I.C. trustees, and a new Library Committee was chosen.

The W.I.C. Library Committee approached the City Trustees about providing a public library in accordance with a recently passed act of the California Legislature allowing free libraries.  The Trustees were not interested in investing public funds in a public library.  Undaunted, the ladies went to the citizens for support.

On February 21, 1906, prominent businessman, Oramil McHenry, died, and his estate was filed for Probate March 10, 1906, which made the information public.  Although his will was dated December 27, 1905, a Codicil was witnessed January 18, 1906, which included a generous bequest to the City of the means to construct a public library building.  It seems reasonable to assume that Myrtie McHenry had great influence on the creation of this bequest.

It was no surprise when the W.I.C. ladies returned to the Trustees with a library building request on September 4, 1907, that the Board of Trustees agreed a library building would be built, and a library tax on all City property would be established.

With the opening of the new McHenry Public Library on April 29, 1912, a Fresno newspaper headline read, “THE NEW MODESTO LIBRARY IS AN ORNAMENT TO THE CITY AND A MONUMENT TO ITS DONOR, ORA MCHENRY”.